A Black Marriage
by Ariana-tan
Summary: This is my version of how Lucius and Narcissa managed to get together in canon. Starts when Lucius and Narcissa are infants and works their way up through the school years, with one major plot twist: Lucius is actually betrothed to Narcissa's eldest sister, Bellatrix! Also features appearances from the middle Black sister, Andromeda. Hope you enjoy!


**Alright, so I should be studying for my chemistry exam tomorrow, or even updating 'Lean on Me', but instead I'm writing a brand-new Harry Potter multi-chap for reasons that I don't even know… So I hope you enjoy! And I realize that no real-life three-year-old would be this articulate, but given that this is the Black family, they could have easily punished their kids for speaking out of turn or using baby talk.**

Druella, who was about six months pregnant, magically rocked the cradle holding her younger daughter, Andromeda. Looking around, she couldn't see her elder daughter, so she called, "Bella! Get in here now, please!"

Druella's eldest daughter, Bellatrix, had just turned three years old. A close friend of the Blacks, Abraxas Malfoy, had just recently produced an heir, and it had been decided that it was in the best interest of both families to marry the elder Black daughter into the Malfoy family. It had been determined that the two should meet as soon as possible, so now that the Malfoy heir, Lucius, was about six months old, his family was bringing him to meet Bellatrix and her family.

Bellatrix walked into the room slowly, knowing that she was in trouble. Mummy had told her to be good and not make a mess of herself or her toys, but she had, and now she was sure she was going to be in trouble. She didn't think it was fair; she didn't want to wear frilly dress robes or wear a bow in her hair, especially when Andromeda was allowed to be essentially naked (except for a diaper) under the blankets in her crib.

Druella frowned when she saw her daughter and beckoned her forward. "Bella, dear, what did I tell you?"

Bellatrix swallowed nervously and stepped toward her mother. "Not to make a mess."

Druella nodded and straightened the bow on top of Bellatrix's long, curly, black hair. "Yes, I did. And did you listen to me?"

Bellatrix's lower lip quivered. "N-no, Mummy."

Druella frowned. "What did I tell you about crying? You know what happens to little girls that cry."

Bellatrix attempted to bite back her tears. "Th-they get punished."

Druella smiled wickedly. "That's right. Now, if you don't start behaving yourself right now, there'll be no supper for you tonight. Now, I won't tell Daddy this time, but any more misbehavior today and I will. If you're good, I might even let you have dessert. Okay?"

Bellatrix nodded hurriedly. As bad as her mother's anger was, her father's was a million times worse. After the disappointment of two daughters already, Cygnus Black was desperately hoping that this third child would be a son. When the Blacks had gone to St. Mungo's and found out that this third child was also a girl, he had gone out, and when he came back, he had hit Druella hard and had almost gone after the baby. Druella had retaliated with a curse, and Cygnus had been in St. Mungo's for three days trying to regrow half of his limbs.

Druella smiled more gently. "That's a good girl." She leaned forward over her pregnant belly and straightened the bow at the back of Bellatrix's robes. Suddenly, there was a knock at the door. Druella called, "Pixie, answer the door!"

One of the family house elves scurried out of the kitchen and hurried to the front door, which she opened with a bow. "Welcome to Black Manor," she said quietly into her old pillowcase.

Abraxas stepped forward, followed by his young bride, a part-Veela named Alizee, who was holding a six-month-old baby in her arms. Abraxas walked over to Druella and kissed her hand, saying, "Pleasure to see you again, Druella." He then turned his attention to the older of the two girls and leaning forward to be closer to her level. "And you must be Bellatrix."

Bellatrix nodded shyly. "Y-yes, sir." She curtsied slightly, noticing her mother's approving smile out of the corner of her eye. "My name is Bellatrix Black, daughter of Druella and Cygnus Black." She motioned toward the cradle holding her younger sister. "That's my sister, Andromeda." She also patted her mother's belly. "And that's my other sister. She hasn't been born yet."

Abraxas looked approvingly at Bellatrix. "She is rather attractive for her age, and quite intelligent as well. You have done a good job raising this one, Druella."

Druella smiled meekly. "Thank you, Abraxas. I do my best for all my girls." She rested her hand protectively over her belly; the baby inside of her was being fussy, though Andromeda at least was staying quiet during this most-important meeting. "Shall I have Pixie show you to the sitting room so that we can all get to know each other?"

Abraxas nodded. "I believe that is a good idea." At that, Pixie appeared again and showed the guests, as well as Bellatrix and her mother, into the formal sitting room. When they arrived, all of them sat down, and Abraxas took his baby from his wife. He motioned Bellatrix forward. "This is my son, Lucius. He's about six months younger than your sister Andromeda, I believe. Would you like to hold him?"

Bellatrix looked nervously at her mother, who nodded encouragingly. Bellatrix nodded and said, "Yes, please." She was sat down on the couch and showed how to properly support the baby's head and neck. Bellatrix looked, unknowingly, into the face of what the parents all hoped to be her future husband for the first time. She wrinkled her nose. "He's so … pink. Mummy, why does he look funny? Andromeda didn't look like that when I saw her for the first time."

Druella's face darkened. "That's quite enough, Bellatrix." Concerned, she turned to Lucius' parents. "I'm sorry; I don't know what's come over her. She's usually so w – "she gasped in pain. "I … I believe that this visit should come to an end; I do believe I am going into labor. Bella!" she snapped at her older daughter. "Take Andromeda upstairs and wait in your room for your father and me to come home. Abraxas, Alizee, Pixie will show you out. I apologize for my daughter's rudeness; I will be having a word with her." She motioned for everyone to leave the room, casting a glare at her daughter.

Bellatrix gulped; she knew she was probably going to be punished pretty severely. She didn't know why she had insulted the baby; something had just … come over her. She ran back into the parlor and took Andromeda out of the cradle. Even though Andromeda was not much smaller than she was, she ran upstairs and into the nursery, settling the baby in the crib and then sitting on her bed.

When Bellatrix had sensed that her mother had gone to St. Mungo's to give birth, she peeked out the door; another house elf, Tommen, was waiting outside. He looked nervously at the girl; she had been known to have a bit of a temper when her mother was not around to curb it. He stammered, "I – I is sorry, Miss Bellatrix; I is having strict orders from Mistress Druella to be keeping you in your room until Mistress Druella is back, Miss."

Bellatrix pouted. "But that's not fair! I didn't mean to insult the stupid baby and make Mummy go into labor! I want food, and I want it now!" She stamped her foot, but this did not sway Tommen at all.

Tommen backed away slightly. "I is very sorry, Miss Bellatrix."

Bellatrix scoffed and turned back into the nursery, slamming the door and startling Andromeda awake. Growling at her sister to shut up, Bellatrix flopped facedown onto her own bed, where she stayed for what felt like a very long time, and, despite her empty belly and her sister's loud crying, somehow fell asleep.

Bellatrix awoke some hours later to the roar of a fireplace; her parents must be home with the new baby. Bellatrix rolled onto her back and stared up at the ceiling; she knew her father would be very upset with her, for having offended the Malfoys, though she wasn't entirely sure why they should even care what the Malfoys thought of her.

Cygnus walked angrily into the room, followed by Druella, who was holding a small pink bundle that was presumably Bellatrix's new younger sister. Bellatrix scowled at the bundle and then, thinking, looked around the room; there was not enough room in the nursery for both cribs and Bellatrix's own bed.

Cygnus walked up to Bellatrix and pulled her bodily from the room. When he had slammed the door of the nursery shut, he glared down at his eldest daughter. "Do you understand that what you did was wrong?"

Bellatrix stared down at her feet and nodded.

Cygnus slapped her hard across the cheek. "When I ask you a question, you will respond in words. Now tell me: do you understand?"

Bellatrix looked up at her father nervously; he very rarely actually hit her, so she knew he must be furious. "Y-yes, Father!"

Cygnus scowled. "Then you will come with me. There is no room for you in the nursery, so you will be moved to a different room. You may choose whichever one you would like, according to your mother." He pulled his daughter down the hall and showed her the rooms she could choose from. When she made her decision, he pushed her in there and closed the door. While locking it magically, he called through the door, "You are to stay in there until tomorrow morning after breakfast, and think about what you have done."

Bellatrix hit the door with her fists for a few minutes, shouting herself hoarse to be let out. When she saw that it was no good, she flopped down face-first onto her new bed, which was surprisingly comfortable, and cried. Why did her parents care so much? She just didn't understand it. Even though she was very hungry, she soon, again, fell asleep, still in her dress robes from before.

**So … that's the end of chapter 1 of my first new fic. Basically, this is going to be a love story between Lucius and [spoiler]. It will come about in time, but since none of the major characters in this is older than 3, it will probably take some time. Anyway, hope you enjoyed this first chapter/prolog.**


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